1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solenoid valve for ensuring the opening/closing actions of a valve member.
2. Description of Related Art
The solenoid valve of this kind known per se has been disclosed in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 62-113977. This solenoid valve is constructed to include: a housing having an electric coil and a magnetic core built therein; a valve seat formed in the inside of the housing; a moving iron core adapted to be actuated by the electric coil and the magnetic core and having a valve member for opening/closing the valve seat; and a leaf spring fixed in the inside of the housing and adapted to warp at all times when the moving iron core acts.
The valve member is made of an elastic material because it hits the valve seat, causing reverberations when opening or closing relative to the valve seat. The valve member is baked and fixed on one face of the moving iron core, and the leaf spring is inserted and fixed at its inner circumference in the outer circumference of the valve member.
The leaf spring is fixed at a predetermined position in the outer circumference of the valve member so that it urges the outer circumference of the valve member by a predetermined stroke in a direction opposite to the acting direction of the moving iron core to thereby eliminate the axial deflection of the moving iron core in the acting direction. Moreover, the leaf spring is fixed in the housing through a lip and in the outer circumference of the valve member to thereby regulate the axial turn in the acting direction of the moving iron core. As a result, when the valve member is opened/closed to come into abutment against the valve seat, the noise, as might otherwise be caused by the deviation of the abutment position of the valve member against the valve seat due to the axial deflection in the acting direction of the moving iron core, can be eliminated to reduce the wear of the valve seat or valve member, as might otherwise be caused by the axial turning in the acting direction of the moving iron core.
If the actions of the solenoid valve, as effected in the device of the prior art by linear control, are performed many times for a short time period, however, the leaf spring is warped by the actions of the moving iron core causing wear in the valve member at the portion in which the inner circumference of the leaf spring and the outer circumference of the valve member made of the elastic material are fixed. In addition, the leaf spring and the valve member may come out of their fixed state.
Since the valve member fixes the leaf spring at its outer circumference, moreover, it is urged in the direction opposite to the acting direction of the moving iron core. As a result, two forces in the opposite directions are established applying a load to the fixed portions of the valve member, as urged in the direction opposed to the acting direction of the moving iron core, and the activated moving iron core. This may cause separation of the baked portions of the valve member and the moving iron core.